For an entire generation of filmgoers, there has been no greater hero than Luke Skywalker. And behind the robes of the aspiring Jedi was an actor who would become an iconic part of the great Star Wars legacy: Mark Hamill. Born in Oakland, California, on September 25, 1951, Mark was the son of a Navy …
See more
Wayne Jackson began his career as an Imagineer in October 1965, and in the decades that followed he would put his technical skill and know-how to great use in the development and installation of Disney attractions around the world. Wayne was the first employee of MAPO—Walt Disney Imagineering’s manufacturing and production arm. Originally trained in …
See more
The work of Jack Kirby helped define the Super Hero, expanded the power of the comic book, and brought thrilling tales of wonder and adventure to millions throughout the world. Jacob Kurtzberg was born in 1917, the son of European Jewish immigrants. He grew up in New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood during the Great …
See more
Excelsior! It is the familiar rallying cry of Stan Lee, one of the most prolific and legendary comic creators of all time. In his more than seven decades in the industry, Stan has dreamed up an endless number of new characters and worlds, and brought readers an all-star roster of heroes and villains. Stanley Martin …
See more
An impresario of film and television, Garry Marshall created a vast TV world of long-running and interconnected shows that remain on the air to this day. He was also renowned as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. Garry Kent Marshall was born in the Bronx on November 13, 1934. He studied journalism before joining …
See more
As a Tony®-, Emmy®-, and Grammy®– winning and Oscar®-nominated director, Julie Taymor has changed the face of Broadway with her innovative direction. Julie was born on December 15, 1952, in Newton, Massachusetts. From an early age she was drawn to the stage, becoming one of the youngest members of the Boston theatrical community. At age 15 …
See more
One of the best-known media personalities of our time, Oprah Winfrey is a producer, actress, network CEO, and philanthropist. For 25 years she was a daily fixture as host of the award-winning The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in rural Kosciusko, Mississippi, on January 29, 1954. While studying communications at Tennessee State …
See more
A teen heartthrob who then became one of the biggest movie stars in the world star, Johnny Depp is a rarity among actors, willing and able to mix swashbuckling leading-man performances with eccentric character roles. Perhaps best known among these parts is the internationally-beloved Captain Jack Sparrow of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Nothing, …
See more
“I always wanted to be a Disney animator, but it was somewhat of an exotic idea,” Andreas Deja says. Exotic because Andreas was born in Gdansk, Poland, and grew up in Germany. “You’d tell your friends and family that your life’s goal was to go to America and work for Disney, and the reaction was, …
See more
“I think I always knew that I’d be an artist,” Carson Van Osten says, “and although I was too young to remember it, my parents told me that I said I wanted to draw cartoons for Walt Disney when I grew up.” And since 1970, Carson Van Osten has done just that. He’s helped bring …
See more
